How can off-site technologies create low-environmental-impact architecture?
The course in Off-site Technologies for Architecture, a project by Manni, aims to turn technicians and architects into experts in the latest trends in off-site construction technology.
With this in mind, Yacademy envisioned an extensive program including special lectures, teaching modules, workshops, and visits focusing on the use of off-site construction technologies.
At the end of the course, students will acquire expertise in a modern culture of technology, learn tools to shape their projects and become part of a trend marked by major investments by the world’s major players.
Such is the purpose of the course in Off-site Technologies for Architecture, an educational program meant for young designers and graduates who want to refine their architectural skills and sensitivity towards one of the most viable alternatives to meet the current needs of the world’s population without jeopardizing the future of the planet.
Key Information
- Multiple scholarships are available.
- The classes will take place in Bologna, Italy, in a medieval building located in the historical city centre. However, online attendance is possible as well.
- The course will start in November 2026 and finish in February 2027, with a frequency of around 3 days per week.
- All modules and activities – lessons, special lectures, workshops, and visits – can be held in Italian or English. In any case, translation into English is always available.
- The application deadline is 4 September 2026.
Structure: Special Lectures, Workshop, and Placement
Special Lectures by Foster + Partners, Morphosis, and BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group
Yacademy’s mission is to bring young, talented architects into contact with the greatest interpreters of contemporary architecture. With this purpose, the Off-site Technologies for Architecture educational program offers a series of special lectures held by the most renowned architects in the field.
Thus, the course will feature Nicola Scaranaro, Partner at Foster + Partners, as a guest lecturer focusing on the use of technology in high-rise buildings. The Pritzker Prize-winning firm is globally known for its philosophy of innovation, sustainability and design, guided by the belief that architecture should be forward-looking and a catalyst for positive environmental change.
Off-site Technologies for Architecture will also welcome Arne Emerson, Partner at Morphosis, who will present the practice’s rigorous design and research that yields innovative, iconic buildings and urban environments.
Another meaningful intervention will be the one by Giulio Rigoni, Associate at BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group, dealing with the firm’s construction sites.
Other moments will have Paolo Matteuzzi of Zaha Hadid Architects, Raul Forsoni of UNS, Andrea D’Antrassi of MAD Architects, Lapo Naldoni of Mario Cucinella Architects, and Paolo Cresci of ARUP as lecturers. Some of them will also share their opinions about the projects students will be developing for the design workshop during the critique sessions.
Design Workshop: Transform a former industrial area in Rome into a student housing system
Yacademy’s Off-site Technologies for Architecture course invites students to explore architecture as an industrialised and conscious process, in which technological innovation and spatial quality converge to define new models of contemporary living. The design workshop meets exactly this purpose, being a crucial step of Yacademy’s educational program.
The design workshop for the course in Off-site Technologies for Architecture is tutored by Paolo Matteuzzi, Director at Zaha Hadid Architects, and developed in collaboration with AIPAI, the Italian association for the industrial archaeological heritage.
The workshop will focus on the transformation of the former Mira Lanza area in Rome, a now disused complex which retains clear evidence of its industrial origin, appearing as an urban void rich in potential, where existing layers provide the foundation for new forms of intervention. Watch the video to learn more!
The workshop aims to bring into dialogue two seemingly distant dimensions: the permanence of the historic city and the fragility and incompleteness of disused industrial landscapes. It will thus be an opportunity to reflect on the role of architecture in the regeneration of industrial heritage, where contemporary intervention is called to engage with the memory of place, activating new functions and meanings within existing structures.
Divided into groups and tutored by the renowned architect, young designers will thus have the opportunity to enhance their personal and professional skills, refining their ability to work within a team on a real design challenge.
Architecture Feeds on Perception: On-site visits to Rome, Eurac, and Manni production plant
Yacademy’s format is based on real interactions and direct experiences, grounded in the belief that architecture starts with perceiving the space. Therefore, the Off-site Technologies for Architecture course includes a series of visits to exclusive locations which are meaningful to the course’s topic and purpose.
First and foremost, students will have the opportunity to visit the design workshop site, the former Mira Lanza area in Rome, in order to gather all relevant information and useful references for the development of their own project.
The Off-site Technologies for Architecture course will also include a trip to Verona to visit the Manni production lines in order to understand the essence of off-site technologies, the pre-processing stages in the factory, and the quality control that can be guaranteed in the industrialisation process. Finally, they will visit the Eurac headquarters, one of Italy’s leading research facilities in the field of environmental sustainability and ecocompatibility.
After the Course: Placement Opportunities
What do you do once the course is over?
Finding your own place in the labour market is one of the biggest challenges in architecture. To help Off-site Technologies for Architecture students unlock their career with a real job opportunity, Yacademy guarantees each designer a proposal of collaboration with one of its partner firms.
Some of the architectural practices with the greatest expertise in relation to the field of off-site construction technologies are Foster + Partners, UNS, BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group, Morphosis, ARUP, and Mario Cucinella Architects.
Yacademy’s placement program includes a collaboration proposal that has a minimum duration of 2 months and guaranteed remuneration, consistently with regulatory requirements.
The placement for the course will be activated between March 2027 and May 2027, after a thorough process. Yacademy’s placement office will take into consideration the preferences and inclinations of the students, so as to find the best possible match.
The collaboration is an opportunity for students to perfect their skills, work and interact with some of the world’s leading firms, and have a real chance to build a solid network useful for their future.
How to Apply: Admission and Scholarships
Do you think Yacademy’s Off-site Technologies for Architecture course might be the right key to unlock your potential as a designer?
Here are some hints on the application process and requirements:
- To ensure a high level of educational experience and immediate placement of students in the most distinguished professional settings, the students will be selected by a committee comprising partners from some of the world’s top firms. The admission to the course is based on the evaluation of the curriculum vitae, a motivational letter, and a portfolio.
- The course in Off-site Technologies for Architecture is addressed to students and graduates in Architectural Sciences or other equivalent titles. The Selection Committee may, however, admit students with different qualifications.
- By applying for the Off-site Technologies for Architecture course, you will automatically become eligible for one of the eight scholarships consistently with the Selection Committee’s evaluation.
For more information and to apply, visit Yacademy!
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